Dwarves are industrious fae-blooded mountain folk, short and bulky in stature. Dwarves are reasonably common throughout most of Welval, though they are known to rarely venture far from their massive subterranean settlements. They are fierce collectivists in ideology, putting the needs of the community far above those of themselves. Every dwarf is male, so dwarves are not born in the traditional sense. “Young” dwarves are found buried in the earth encased in a geode, dormant but fully grown and mentally developed. These dwarves are extracted by miners and soon come to life when exposed to the subterranean air. Interestingly, dormant dwarves are only ever found in dwarven territory and have never been uncovered in areas untouched by dwarves.
Description
Dwarves are fairly short, standing about a foot smaller than most humans. Though dwarves are physically short, they make up for their height in sheer bulk. The average dwarf is just as heavy as a human, if not more so.
Dwarven skin tones and hair colours range greatly, ranging from pale beige and blonde to dark brown and black. Dwarven eyes however, tend to be a uniform brown or hazel. On rare occasions, a dwarf may posess blue or green eyes. The cause of this phenomena is unknown.
Dwarves grow an incredibly large amount of hair on their bodies. Often manifesting as large, bushy beards. Dwarven hair is known to be incredibly strong, offering light defensive protection. Most dwarves braid their hair tightly as a symbol of status and power.
Personality
Dwarves are known to be direct and a bit blunt, though their hearts are often in the right place. The life of a dwarf revolves largely around their community and dwarves are typically willing to sacrifice everything for the good of their people. Dwarves have a strict sense of justice and a keen memory, leading many dwarves to hold grudges for immense periods of time. Gaining the trust of a dwarf can be challenging, though when a dwarf counts you as an ally, they will trust you for life.
Dwarf
General Information
| Size | Medium |
| Alignment | Neutral |
| Activity Cycle | Any |
| Lifespan | 320 years |
| Languages | Dwarven |
Appearance
| Skin Colour | Pale to dark brown and grey |
| Hair Colour | Blonde, red, brown, black, white |
| Hairstyle | Straight, curly, wavy |
| Eye Colour | Brown, hazel |
| Avg. Height | 4′-5′ |
| Avg. Weight | 160-220 lbs. |
Lists
| Meta | Dwarves |
Society
Clans
Most dwarven communities are divided into clans. A dwarven clan is a tight-knit group of friends and political allies, similar to a large family. These clans are led by a single ruler, who most embodies the ideals of the given clan. Most clans pick a trade specialty, such as mining, carving or brewery. Dwarves are expected to excel at their clan’s specialty, though young dwarves are sometimes banished from their clan if they show little to no affinity in their craft. Clans are extremely important within dwarven society and dwarves are expected to value their clan more than anything else. Though dwarven clans try to remain peaceful, conflict may occur between the groups. At such times, a dwarf’s alligence lies to their clan above all else.
Settlements
Dwarves typically prefer to settle deep underground, often around the sprawling mines and caverns that provide much of their livelihood. Most dwarven settlements are completely self-sustaining, able to support their populations without outside trade or negotiation. These subterranean settlements are often tiered in structure, formatted into districts based on purpose. The most prominent clan within a settlement typically takes the role of government, though this can differ between communities.
Trade
Dwarves are known to produce a wide variety of goods, typically created from materials found underground. Unlike most fae, dwarves do not have an aversion to iron and commonly use the material in their crafting. Of the goods created by dwarves: weapons, armour, tools, statues and alcohol are commonly thought as being the highest quality. Dwarves are sometimes hired for their skills with stone and metal, as well as their reputation as quality mercenaries.
Religion
Dwarves seldom choose to worship any divine figures, instead turning to The Ancestors for guidance. Though every dwarven ancestor is technically worshipped by every dwarf, most focus their worship upon prominent dwarves from within their own clan. Dwarves of a mining clan may turn to The Ancestors for luck mining, while those from a warrior clan may pray to The Ancestors before marching into battle.